High capacity magazine for weapons

ABSTRACT

A magazine for a weapon having a barrel extending in a firing direction  iudes a cartridge storage drum which stores a multiplicity of cartridges in a spiral path with a longitudinal axis of the cartridges lying perpendicularly to the firing direction. If the weapon is an automatic rifle, the storage drum can be mounted in or under the stock of the rifle. A guide made up of curved rods extends from the drum and defines a guide path along which the cartridges are fed and rotated from their respect to the firing direction. A feed box is connected to the end of the guide rods at a location remote from the drum for feeding the cartridges to a bolt and chamber area of the weapon. Along the guide path the cartridges engage each other at pivot points so that the cartridges are somewhat free to pivot within the confines of the guide rods but still push each other along the guide path. One or more followers are provided behind the last cartridge. A cable is connected to the last guide follower and extends through the drum and along the guide path. The end of the cable is connected to a spring motor which pulls the cable. The followers is thus pulled which in turn pushes the cartridges through the drum and along the guide path.

The invention described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed byor the Government for Governmental purposes without the payment to me ofany royalties thereon.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates in general to firearms magazines and inparticular to a new and useful high capacity magazine which isparticularly suited for automatic and semi-automatic weapons, and whichincludes a storage drum which carries a multiplicity of cartridges in aspiral path with the longitudinal axes of the cartridges lyingsubstantially perpendicular to the firing direction for the weapon.

High capacity magazines are known for use primarily with automaticweapons. One example is the drum type magazine in which a multiplicityof cartridges are stored with their longitudinal axes lying parallel toa firing direction of the weapon. The drum is engaged to the bottom ofthe weapon near its firing chamber. While a large number of cartridgescan thus be stored and supplied to the weapon, the drum is awkward andbulky. The drum greatly increases the effective width of the weaponsince it extends to both sides of the weapon.

Other magazines are also known which carry the cartridges in a straightor somewhat curved line. The magazines are attached to the bottom of aweapon with the cartridges being fed one at a time and upwardly to theweapon using a spring connected to a plate-like follower. So as to carrya large number of cartridges, such magazines must be exceptionally long.This again produces an awkward and bulky configuration for the weaponplus magazine combination.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is drawn to an improved high capacity magazine forweapons wherein a multiplicity of cartridges are carried in a drum withtheir longitudinal axes lying perpendicular to a firing direction of theweapon. In this way the drum can be conveniently stored in or under thestock of the weapon, or in any other suitable location. A primeadvantage of the invention is that the effective width of the weapon iseither not increased at all or only slightly increased. The width of themagazine is substantially the same as the length of the cartridge sothat where short caseless cartridges are utilized, the width of theweapon is not adversely affected.

An important feature of the invention is the use of guide means whichare connected between an output of the drum and a receiving opening forcartridges to the weapon. A guide path is defined along these guidemeans which rotates the cartridges from their perpendicular positiontoward a position where they are parallel with the firing direction. Ina final feed area the cartridges are brought parallel to the firingdirection so that they can be sequentially fed to the chamber of theweapon in a conventional manner.

Accordingly an object of the invention is to provide a high capacitymagazine for a weapon having a barrel extending in a firing direction,comprising a cartridge storage drum for storing a plurality ofcartridges with longitudinal axes thereof lying substantiallyperpendicular to the firing direction when the magazine is attached tothe weapon, guide means connected to the drum for guiding cartridgesfrom the drum along a guide path to rotate the cartridges from theirperpendicular position toward a parallel position with respect to thefiring direction, and drive means for driving the cartridges from thedrum to the guide means and along the guide path.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a high capacitymagazine for weapons which is simple in design, rugged in constructionand economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses,reference is made to the accompanying drawing and descriptive matter inwhich a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the high capacity magazine of theinvention attached to an automatic rifle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment for the high capacitymagazine of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the feed area for the deviceshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken through the guide path in thetransition zone of the high capacity magazine;

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevational view of the transition zone;

FIG. 6 is a partial side perspective view of the high capacity magazinein part of its transition zone and its feed zone; and

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view showing how cartridges are fed fromthe transition zone to the feed zone by a sprocket arrangement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodie in FIG. 1is a high capacity magazine generally designated 10 for a weapon such asa semi and/or fully automatic rifle generally designated 2. Rifle 2 hasa stock 4 into which or under which the magazine 10 can be seated.Magazine 10 includes guide means for feeding cartridges (some of whichare shown in a portion of magazine 10 from which the cover has been cutaway) into a hand grip 6 of the rifle 2. The rifle includes a barrel 7for firing projectiles in a firing direction.

A primary advantage of the present invention is that the cartridges 40are stored in a storage drum of the magazine 10 with their longitudinalaxes lying substantially perpendicular to the firing direction of theweapon.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the magazine 10. Magazine 10 includes acartridge storage drum 12 which stores a multiplicity of cartridges 40on a spiral path. Cartridge guide means 16 is connected to an outlet 32of drum 12 for conveying cartridges along a curved path and for rotatingthe cartridges from a position with their longitudinal axis at aperpendicular position with respect to the firing direction, toward aparallel position with respect to the firing direction. Guide means 16extends along a transition zone 14 and defines a guide path along thistransition zone.

A feed box 20 having an inlet 21 is connected to an end of the guidemeans 16 remote from drum 12. Box 20 defines a feed path along a feedzone 18. Cartridges in this feed zone are positioned one above the otherand all parallel to the firing direction.

Drum 12 comprises a spirally wound plate 42 having an inner end with anenlargement 44. Plate 42 defines a spiral path for cartridges 40 in drum12. A groove 46 is defined in a surface of plate 42. Plate 42 with itsgroove 46 terminates at drum outlet 32. A plurality of followers 26including a last follower 28 are connected together and positioned inthe deepest part of the spiral path in drum 12 when the magazine isfilled with cartridges 40. Only some cartridges are shown in FIG. 2however, for clarity. In practice the entire spiral path would be filledwith cartridges all the way to outlet 32 and entirely along guide means16 and feed box 20.

The purpose of the followers 26, 28 is to push cartridges 40 along thespiral path and through the zones 14 and 18. To accomplish this the lastfollower 28 is connected to a cable 24 which is seated in groove 46 andextends through guide means 16. An opposite end of cable 24 is connectedto a spiral spring 23 in a spring motor 22 best shown in FIG. 3. Withfollowers 26,28 in their position shown in FIG. 2, spiral spring 23 ofmotor 22 is tensioned to its maximum extent. Motor 22 is of a typeconventionally found in clocks and has a sufficiently long unwindingpath for its spring 23 to pull the last follower 28 all the way from itsfully extended position shown in FIG. 2 to its fully retracted positionshown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, cable 24 is entrained around a pair of pulleys 25which displace a length of cable from the path of the cartridges in themagazine to the inlet for the spring motor 22.

The remaining followers 26 are all connected together and to the lastfollower 28 by a flexible cable 24 which passes through openings in thefollowers 26,28. This effectively holds the followers 26 together and tothe last follower 28 as the followers are pushed along the cartridgepath in the magazine. the number of followers is selected so that theyfully fill the box 20 and the feed zone 18 when the last cartridge 40,shown in FIG. 3, is in a position to be fired. Followers 26 thus act asspacers for spacing the last follower 28, and its drive means in theform of spring motor 22 and cable 24, from the firing position for thelast cartridge 40. As also shown in FIG. 3, all cartridges including thelast cartridge is pushed into a chamber 5 behind barrel 7 of the weapon,by a bolt 8.

At its upper end, closest to the bolt and chamber area, feed box 20includes a pair of pivotally mounted cartridge stops 36. As shown inFIG. 3, cartridge stops 36 are biased into their solid line position bysprings 37 (one of which is shown). When bolt 8 enters the space betweenstops 36, the stops pivot outwardly into their phantom line position. Inthis way, the bottom ends 38 of stops 36 move together holding back afollowing cartridge (or in the case of FIG. 3, the uppermost follower26).

As shown in FIG. 2,4 and 5, guide means 16 comprises a plurality ofcurved guide rods 50 through 53 which are held at fixed spaced locationsby a plurality of spacer supports 56 which themselves are spaced alongthe guide path for cartridges in the transition zone 14. Each of thesupports 56 includes a groove 58 for receiving and guiding cable 24 inthe transition zone 14. Groove 58 is positioned on the inside of thecurve defined by guide means 16 so that it will not become dislodgedwhen pulled by the spring motor 22.

Each of the cartridges 40 in the example shown includes a caselesscharge portion 41 and a projectile 42. The invention can also beutilized with more conventional cased cartridges where 41 designates acase. Case or caseless portion 41 is substantially cylindrical but alsomay be in the form of a truncated cone. A shoulder is defined in theforward end of case 41 which receives the projectile 43.

Cartridges 40 are confined to their guide path between pairs of guiderods 50 and 51 and a base rod 52. Forward rods 51 are spaced apart by anamount only slightly greater than the maximum width of the projectiles43. Rods 50 however, are spaced apart by an amount somewhat greater thanthe width of case 41. In this way a relative pivoting between adjacentcartridges 40 is possible. The cartridges actually pivot with respect toeach other at contact pivot points 54 shown in FIG. 5. In this way anangle 55 shown in FIG. 4 is established between adjacent cartridges. Therelative pivoting between adjacent cartridges is necessary toaccommodate the inside curve (to the left of FIG. 5) of the feed path inguide means 16. With cylindrical or conical cases 41, the rear end ofthe cases must overlap each other as they push each other at pivotcontact points 54. The base of cartridges 40 slide along rod 52. Asshown in FIG. 4 the guide means also includes a forward rod 53 which issolely used to stabilize the relationship between spacer supports 56.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the invention includes sprocket meansgenerally designated 30 (and not shown in FIG. 2) which rotates eachcartridge through an angle 31 from a first position at the end of guidemeans 16 to a second position at the inlet of feed box 20. Sprocketmeans 30 includes a sprocket shaft 62 which is mounted fo free rotationbetween plates 64 that are fixed to the lower end of box 20. A rearsprocket 66 and a forward sprocket 68 are fixed to shaft 62. Rearsprocket 66 has arms which are slightly curved and of a relatively shortlength for conveying the rear end of each case 41 for each cartridge 40.Forward or front sprocket 68 has longer arms for conveying theprojectiles 43 of each cartridge through a longer path. In this way thecartridges are rotated through angle 31. While a specific embodiment ofthe invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate theapplication of the principles of the invention, it will be understoodthat the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from suchprinciples.

What is claimed is:
 1. A high capacity magazine for a weapon having abarrel extending in a firing direction, comprising:a cartridge storagedrum for storing a plurality of cartridges with a longitudinal axis ofthe cartridge lying substantially in a perpendicular position withrespect to the firing direction when the magazine is connected to theweapon; guide means connected to said drum for guiding cartridges fromsaid drum along a curved guide path to rotate the cartridges from theirsubstantially perpendicular position toward a parallel position withrespect to the firing direction; and drive means for driving cartridgesfrom said drum to said guide means and along said guide path.
 2. Amagazine according to claim 1, wherein said storage drum includes aspiral plate defining a spiral groove for receiving cartridges in asingle spiral row.
 3. A magazine according to claim 1, including a feedbox connected to an end of said guide means remote from said drum andfor receiving cartridges from an end of said guide path, said feed boxdefining a straight cartridge path wherein cartridges are movable withtheir longitudinal axis lying parallel to the firing direction, andsprocket means connected to said guide means and said feed box forrotating cartridges from a position at the end of said guide path withtheir longitudinal axis at a small angle to the firing direction, to aninlet of said feed box with their longitudinal axis lying parallel tothe firing direction.
 4. A magazine according to claim 3, wherein saidguide means has an inner turn defining an inner curve of said guide pathand an outer turn defining an outer curve of said guide path, saidsprocket means comprising a shaft freely rotatable to said box adjacentthe end of said guide means to which said box is connected, a smallsprocket fixed to said shaft adjacent said inner curve and a largesprocket connected to said shaft adjacent said outer curve.
 5. Amagazine according to claim 4, wherein said guide means comprises aplurality of curved guide rods extending parallel to said guide path anda plurality of spacer supports spaced along said guide path and eachconnected to all of said guide rods.
 6. A magazine according to claim 5,wherein said guide rods includes a base rod for engagement against basesof cartridges sliding along said guide path, a first pair of guide rodsbeing spaced apart by an amount greater than a maximum width of acartridge and a second pair of guide rods being spaced apart by anamount slightly greater than a maximum width of a projectile ofcartridges whereby cartridges moving along said guide path contact eachother at a pivot point with adjacent cartridges lying in an angle withrespect to each other.
 7. A magazine according to claim 6, wherein saiddrive means comprises a spiral spring motor connected to said feed boxand having a spiral spring therein, a cable connected to said spiralspring and extending along said guide path and into said drum, said drumdefining a cartridge path therein, a follower connected to said cableand being shaped to bear against a last cartridge in said drum and topush cartridges along said cartridge path in said drum and along saidguide path into said feed box.
 8. A magazine according to claim 7,wherein each of said supports includes a groove therein for guiding saidcable along said guide path in said guide means.
 9. A magazine accordingto claim 8, wherein said drum includes a spiral plate defining saidcartridge path as a spiral cartridge path, said plate having a groovetherein in which said cable slides along siad spiral cartridge path. 10.A magazine according to claim 1, wherein said guide means comprises aplurality of curved guide rods extending parallel to said guide path anda plurality of spacer supports spaced along said guide path and eachconnected to all of said guide rods.
 11. A magazine according to claim10, wherein said guide rods includes a base rod for engagement againstbases of cartridges sliding along said guide path, a first pair of guiderods being spaced apart by an amount greater than a maximum width of acartridge and a second pair of guide rods being spaced apart by anamount slightly greater than a maximum width of a projectile ofcartridges whereby cartridges moving along said guide path contact eachother at a pivot point with adjacent cartridges lying in an angle withrespect to each other.
 12. A magazine according to claim 2, wherein saiddrive means comprises a follower movably against cartridges in saidspiral path and in said guide path, a spring motor connected to saidguide means at an end of said guide means remote from said drum and acable connected between said spring motor and said follower for pullingsaid follower along said spiral path and along said guide path.
 13. Amagazine according to claim 12, wherein said first mentioned followercomprises a last follower and including a plurality of additionalfollowers connected to said last follower and ahead said last followerin a direction toward said spring motor, a feed box connected to saidguide means and defining a straight feed path for carrying cartridgeswith their longitudinal axes parallel to the firing direction, means forrotating cartridges from a position at an end of said guide path remotefrom said drum into a position with their longitudinal axis parallel tothe firing direction, said spring motor being connected to said box anda number of followers being selected so that said followers fill saidbox when a last cartridge is at an end of said box remote from saiddrum.
 14. A magazine according to claim 13, wherein said guide meanscomprises a plurality of spaced apart curved guide rods lying parallelto said guide path and a plurality of spacer supports each connected toall of said rods and each being spaced along said guide path.
 15. Amagazine according to claim 14, wherein said means for rotatingcartridges comprises a sprocket shaft rotatably mounted to said boxhaving a pair of sprockets fixed thereon with a sprocket on an innercurve of said guide path being smaller than the sprocket on an outercurve of said guide path.